


Even Angels Need To Eat

by FrozenHearts



Category: Raven Cycle - Maggie Stiefvater
Genre: Angst, Boys Kissing, Canonical Character Death, Death, Death Rituals, Emotional Manipulation, Fantasizing, Human Sacrifice, Implied Sexual Content, Kissing, M/M, Murder, One-Sided Attraction, Rituals, Sad, Sexual Tension
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-30
Updated: 2016-03-30
Packaged: 2018-05-29 19:17:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,850
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6389800
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FrozenHearts/pseuds/FrozenHearts
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Noah was certain that Whelk was an angel, for even angels needed to eat.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Even Angels Need To Eat

**Author's Note:**

> I just want to apologize in advance.

Noah had realized once Barrington Whelk walked into the room that he may or may not have been in love with his new room-mate. He seemed to walk with that sort of swagger that Noah himself lacked- confident, with just a hint of snootiness and a dash of fervor. It made it worse that the guy was handsome; broad shoulders that seemed to push against the pale yellow Aglionby Academy sweater, the way his dark brown hair seemed mussed to perfection. As if he had just gotten out of bed, but could still pass for stopping to take his time to brush it.

A beautiful man, however, should have loved his name. Noah certainly did, whispering the name to himself when he was alone. In the shower, with the cold water running down his back, pretending the small droplets were the light, feathery touches of the other boy's fingers. Soft and slick, and quick; mere twitches of the hand. Of course, it would take Noah forever to shake the thought of Barrington wanting to actually touch him in any way.

Yet, Barrington hated it. He always preferred to be called by his last name. By _Whelk_. It was lumpy on his tongue, a box with tapered edges that came in the mail. It wasn't pretty like Barrington was, but he had insisted upon it, and so Noah complied. A quick smile was all it took.

Oh, how that smile was going to be the death of him. Full of promises and chaste love. One that would surely be the death of him.

Barrington- _Whelk_ , Noah had to constantly remind himself- had flashed that same smile the first day he met him, as well as the first day he asked.

\------

"Noah, do you want to come with me?"

Noah had been glossing over a history paper when Whelk first said it. The paper itself wasn't due until next month, until the end of term, but Noah figured it was better to be safe then sorry. Over the course of the first month, Noah realized that whenever Whelk wanted him to do something, he would say his name slowly, dragging out the syllables as if pulling on a string of gum between his perfectly white teeth. Noah glanced at Whelk- he was sitting lazily across his bed, with his feet crossed over on his pillow.

"Come where?"

Whelk shrugged, "I dunno. The forest."

Aglionby Academy was famous in part for the vast forest that resided behind it. Noah had originally thought they were the school grounds, until he managed to find his way to the actual dorm rooms. A scary thing it was, the forest. He had heard stories about people getting lost in there, never to come out. A shiver ran down his spine, and he dog-eared the page he was reading in his textbook. His paper sat on the nightstand, half-written in messy cursive.

"But we're friends, aren't we?" Whelk said, and Noah leaned his head back. He hadn't realized he spoke out loud. Heat rushed to his face as Whelk continued, "Come on, _Noah_. Friends don't let friends get lost in the woods by themselves, right?"

Noah looked at him. He didn't really like the forest. He never liked forests in general, come to think of it; they were full of creepy-crawlies and dense vegetation. Not to mention the animals. There were so many, and he didn't know how to hunt if the need arose. Scrunching his nose, Noah said, "We're not friends. We're room-mates."

Whelk frowned, but Noah had turned away. Whelk had called them _friends_. Noah wanted so much more, to be... well, more than friends. He didn't want to say "lovers" or "boyfriends." It sounded to pretentious and eager at this stage (and besides: Noah was not going to admit is affections any time soon.) So room-mates would have to do. A strained silence hung over them for at least five minutes, with Whelk sharpening pencils and Noah staring at the ceiling. The whirring of the electric pencil sharpener made Noah's skin tingle, made his skin buzz as he thought Whelk's hands on his cheek would. How it would feel to stare lovingly into his eyes, to-

"So, you're coming then," Whelk sliced through Noah's thoughts like a cutlass, and Noah let out a huff of breath. Whelk had gotten up, Noah could hear his footsteps pad across the room until he was standing at the side of Noah's bed, in front of the window. Light streamed in, and Noah found himself face to face with Whelk's stomach, his pale, yellow sweater. He itched to slip a hand underneath, but thought better of it, lifting his chin just so, just enough that he had to look up at him.

The light formed a messy halo around Whelk's hair.

In that moment, Noah thought he was an angel.

"Me, you." Whelk stated, his lips pulling into a grin, "the woods. Say, tomorrow at nine?"

_Me. You._

Noah returned the smile, feeling the heat rush into his face.

_Me._

_You._

Whelk laughed, as Noah nodded, with what no doubt looked like a drunken expression. Noah didn't doubt he looked silly as he felt his pants constrict slightly, shifting his legs to lay awkwardly on the bed.

The woods. They were safe as long as this angel was with him. Noah shrugged as Whelk leaned over and ruffled his hair, and Noah's nose was suddenly mere inches away from his broad chest, surrounded by strong shoulders. Up close, he could smell the starch on Whelk's clothes, mixed with musky pine and a hint of something that he couldn't quite name.

It occurred to Noah that if he were to join Whelk in the woods tomorrow, he'd be skipping math class.

_Me._

_You._

Whelk simply flashed him that wonderful smile of his and he melted against the sheets, Whelk leaning over him as he turned an even darker shade of red.

\------

Noah found himself reliving the next morning as he followed Whelk through the woods behind the school.

The sheets had been tangled between his legs, and his legs had been tangled between Whelk's legs. And Whelk, looking every bit of an angel as he had the day before, was resting atop Noah, one arm crooked around his neck, the other wound round his waist, fingers dipped beneath the waistband of his pants.

Even angels had an appetite. Noah supposed it was the only explanation for what happened as he carefully wriggled himself free from Whelk's grasp and ambled into the bathroom. Once he was in front of the fogged mirror, Noah saw them on his neck, his arms.

His throat was decorated with purple teeth and red fingers. Angry and rushing. The skin was still tender where Noah ran his fingers.

Even angels needed to eat.

 "Noah?" Whelk called from the bed, making him jump, "We gotta go soon. The ley lines don't wait."

Noah eyed the bites on his neck, the red indents on his arms. Whelk hadn't mentioned ley lines before. Noah didn't really know what a ley line was. Noah told him. Whelk's explanation was rushed, and Noah didn't remember half of it by the time noon rolled around, and the two boys were drawing stars in the dirt with wayward branches by a misshapen river. 

"We'll need some live bait for tomorrow," Whelk said as they sat by the river. Noah didn't pay attention to the next part, as he was watching Whelk lean forward and cup his hands, bringing a shaky palm full of water to his lips.

Noah wished he could taste Whelk's lips like he could the muddy river water as they trudged back to the dorms at sunset, his eyes bleary and throat burning.

Noah half wished he could crawl into Whelk's bed like Whelk did his, but the other said that the ley lines were where the dead walked after passing.

It wasn't wise to wake the dead. Noah agreed.

\------

Noah awoke that morning with tje feel of Whelk's lips on his and Whelk's hands buried in Noah's fair hair. His back itched as he lay, a crunch of something startling him awake.

Trees. Trees and leaves. Noah heard the babbling of the river from the day before, and Noah's voice cracked as he asked, "Whelk? Whelk, why are we in the woods again?" Looking down, Noah saw he was dressed in his Aglionby school sweater, small pebbles and dirt stuck to the fabric. 

He didn't have any pants, judging by the brisk wind against his legs.

"Whelk?"

His roommate crunched through the trees until he was standing over Noah, that same smile on his face. The one from the first day they met. Normally, Noah would find it beautiful, but not today. Instead of sweetness and promises, Whelk's smile was full of demons, hiding between his perfectly white teeth, poking out between his gums.

"You're a heavy sleeper, did you know that?" Whelk cocked his head, hair falling in his face. His clothes were rumpled, his hair mussed just so.

Noah furrowed his brow, "What?"

"Last night. I'm pretty sure you walk in your sleep," Whelk explained with an air of boredom. "Climbed right into my bed." It took a minute, but Noah remembered. He remembered how he was half asleep, just watching as Whelk prepared himself for bed. He remembered how Whelk had caught him staring, how he looked away.

He remembered how Whelk, how his angel kissed him. 

Noah reminded himself that even angels were hungry. Even angels needed to eat.

"We're here now, though," Noah finally spoke up, his voice soft and warbling. He was confused, "Why?"

Whelk grinned that familiar grin before pointing to where Noah sat. Around him, splashed with red paint, was a pentagram. Huh.

"You're currently sitting on top of a ley line, Noah," Whelk explained smugly, "we found it. And now we're gonna access it."  

"Access the ley line?"

Whelk nodded, "To find the corpse road, see the Raven King. You remember, right?"

Noah nodded, finding himself unable to stand as Whelk circled him, hands behind his back. The angel looking down on God's creation. Assessments being made.

"It was nice knowing you, Noah," Whelk was behind him now, leaning over to hug him from behind. Whelk's hands rested on his chest, underhiss chin as Noah felt Whelk tilt his head backwards.

"Here's a parting gift, I suppose." Noah frowned- this didn't seem right, he was confused. What exactly did he mean-

And then they were kissing. Whelk's tongue was like fire,making Noah gag as he explored his mouth. Noah seemed to melt, as Whelk pushed harder with his lips, chapped and rough. Noah felt for a minute that he couldn't breathe, as Whelk's fingers tightened around his throat, nails digging until they drew thin lines of red.

Even angels needed to eat.

Noah was panting as soon as they broke apart. Leaves tickled his bare legs as he stared up at Whelk.

Noah knew too late that his angel fell once he felt the skateboard collide with his skull.

**Author's Note:**

> I'm so sorry.


End file.
